Beware! The only thing about this item that you can count on is the design. Yes, it is beautiful! The wood LOOKS like it could be cedar, but there is no information about what type of wood in the description, and coming from China leaves the possibilities wide open. It is very soft, and of the 11 pieces, only two were not damaged or split. That said, we decided to keep it and will use a protective seal to help weather-proof it. We may end up putting in a nail or two to make sure the splits don't get worse. We will screw it to the gate posts rather than use the metal stakes included for securing in the ground.